Everyone is a utility

Bernstein’s analysts predict new worldwide solar installations will grow from just 31 gigawatts in 2012 to 300 gigawatts a year by 2020.*

A new class of citizen power producers uses homes and offices to generate electricity and sell extra capacity back to the grid. Buildings increasingly are covered with solar material and paper batteries, transforming the construction industry and creating millions of new micro-sources of power. One potential roadblock is the role of regulatory agencies, which may limit who can legally “sell” power.